One of my favorite memories of Athens was strolling down Ermou Street several years ago just before Christmas and coming upon a group of classical musicians performing midway along the pedestrian street. Street musicians are common in Athens, from solo guitarists to the quintessential South American band that seems to appear in tourist destinations from Los Angeles to Chicago to London to Athens. But this particular group had something very special that sticks in my mind. As the music played, a beautiful voice carried the sounds of a lovely aria. As I approached the musicians, I was amazed to discover the source of this aria was a dark haired young boy, perhaps 6 or 7 years old. Basil and I were mesmerized by this talented young man, and we were pleasantly surprised to hear a rumor a few years later that this same talented child performed at the Athens Olympics. I don’t know where he is today, but I hope that as his voice has probably now “changed”, he has been able to harness his talent and continues to share his musical gift with the people of Athens. As you wander the streets of Athens, perhaps you, too, will have a chance encounter with him, although, if not, the city of Athens has seen to it that you will still find the streets filled with music this holiday season, as now they have more formally transformed the city into an outdoor moveable musical feast.
Beginning December 20, daily at 7:30 pm, a different musical performance will be held at squares throughout the city:
December 2007
Thursday December 20 City of Athens Philharmonic Orchestra Petroula Square
Friday December 21 Zack Stefanou and the band Koala Thissio Square
Friday December 21 Yiorgos & Stavros Mylonadakis Thymarakia Square
Saturday December 22 Zack Stefanou and the band Koala Kypseli Square
Saturday December 22 City of Athens Philharmonic Orchestra Agia Ekaterini Square
Sunday December 23 Yiorgos & Stavros Mylonadakis Lambrini Square
Thursday December 27 Kitrina Podilata Fix Square
Friday December 28 Zack Stefanou and the band Koala Fix Square
Friday December 28 City of Athens Philharmonic Orchestra Agios Dimitrios Square
Saturday December 29 Zack Stefanou and the band Koala Pangrati Square
Saturday December 29 Yiorgos & Stavros Mylonadakis Agios Thomas Square
Sunday December 30 Kitrina Podilata Thissio Square
Sunday December 30 City of Athens Philharmonic Orchestra Amerikis Square
January 2008
Friday January 4 Kitrina Podilata Messologi Square
Saturday January 5 Kitrina Podilata Victoria Square
Christmas Eve (December 24, 2007) & New Year’s Eve (December 31, 2007)
City of Athens Philharmonic Orchestra performs Christmas and New Year’s carols
Starts at Kotzia Square
Concludes at Syntagma Square at 14:30
Thanks for the information. We generally spend Christmas in Athens and walking along Ermou is one of our delights too. On a different musical note (pun intended) we went to see Dalaras at the Pallas last night. A great show which I heartily recommend.
Kales Yiortes!
Wow Alan, I’ve been wanting to see that concert – Ola ap’ tin archi, Everything from the beginning. It sounds like quite the Dalaras retrospective! I’ve seen him numerous times, including this past summer, at the Theater of the Herodian, under the Acropolis. (Of course, you could see anything in the Herodian and it would be wonderful – it is, I think, the one venue every visitor MUST go to if they are in Athens during the spring/summer/fall.
This particular concert which you saw at the Pallas Theater in Athens runs through the end of January, but since I will probably remain in Chicago until early February, I will miss it. He does have something scheduled at the Megaron Concert Hall in mid February, a rembetika restrospective, which I may be back in time for.
Happy holidays!
Carole
Carole
I’ve always wanted to see something at the Herodion but we are generally not in Athens for long enough at the right time. A rembetika retrospective sounds good to me!
Kales Yiortes
Alan